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If you know us from any other part of life then maybe you are aware, gentle reader, that Mrs Chrisparkle and I are big fans of India – it’s our favourite travel destination. And when I saw the photograph of the slightly (dare I say it) scrawny Mr Gill as India’s Strongest Man it instantly made me laugh out loud. Here’s the blurb: “The highly anticipated Fringe debut from London comic Gurpal Gill. Expect elegantly interlaced character comedy, stand-up and film as he unravels the heroic story of India’s Strongest Man (1982) and the pathetic story of Gurpal Gill (2015).”

Sounds like a delightful juxtaposition of strengths and weaknesses. Mr Gill is new to us and I am looking forward to seeing for myself how he creates a comedy routine from this setup. I can tell he’s a quirky comic – he has a twitter account and has promised never to tweet – you follow him for his silence. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a considerable amount of surrealism to his act. We will find out when we see him at 13:00 at Just The Tonic at the Mash House – Attic, and I will let you know how we got on when the show is finished, around 2 pm. Come back so you can also see what show we’ll be off to next.

Update:

The show is a blend of India’s Strongest Man and what he did next, contrasted with Mr Gill as he is today. He is very good at getting the audience on his side and encouraging us to laugh at the vain ridiculousness of his comic creation, but he’s at his best when he’s just Gurpal from Reading, talking about the ordinariness of his life. A naturally very funny guy, who chops and changes the content of his show, depending on how he feels! You may have read some very negative online reviews – I would say, if you think this is the kind of show you’d enjoy, trust your own judgment. We thought it was quirky and funny, and you can’t ask more than that!